Do you know what your child is doing online?

As the half-term break is fast approaching children might be spending a little more time on-line. 

Things you can do to keep your child safe online:

• check your parental controls on your PC to stop then accessing inappropriate material;
• accessing games on a console or tablet? Here's how to set parental controls: Ask About Games
• have a conversation, discuss sites and apps together, talk about any concerns they may have;
• talk about personal information and what not to share online;
• is your child accessing social networks? Most of these have an age limit of 13+, check the content and age limits of what they are accessing here: NetAware
• Is your child playing computer games, check the age limit here: Netaware

Some concerning reports have been in the media recently about the following online apps and challenges linked to social media:

• Blue Whale Challenge
• Sayat.me 

The NSPCC website  provides further resources and links on how to keep your child safe online.  Live My Digital, is an educational site aimed at families. The site has links to a video series which covers the following online safety themes:

• Cyberbullying
• The digital footprint
• Identity and self-esteem
• Relationships and grooming
• Security and privacy
• Sexting